Chemical mixing and feeding apparatus



Aug. 9, 1927. .1,638,119

W. H. GREEN CHEMICAL MIXING ANI) FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1925 Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. GREENOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR TO GENERAL ZOLITE COM- PANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS.

CHEMICAL MIXING AND FEEDING APPARATUS.

Applicationled October 24, 1923. Serial No. 670,481.

This invention relatesbroadly to apparatus adapted for use in softening of water, or like employment and has for its object the improvement ot' means for mechanically mixing solid and liquid materials to form a treating' mixture and for measuring and conveying such mixture to the intended point of use. The present invention comprises certain improvements in the general type of l0 apparatus illustrated and described in my Letters Patent No. 1,821,622, granted November 11'. 1919.

It is well known in the art, in the operation of water softening apparatus in which the raw water is treated with chemicals, such as lime and soda ash, to prepare so-called solutions or'treating mixtures of the desired chemicals with water, which mixtures are fed to the raw water in desired proportions. My Letters Patent above referredto describe an apparatus which possesses certain utility in the production and maintenance of a uniform so'lution or mixture of ingredients, such as those just mentioned. It has been found from experiencein the handling of solutions or a suspension of lime in water, that incrustations form on various portions of the apparatus, as heretofore employed, and interfere with its operation and accuracy by clogging or impeding conduits and other portions of the mechanism.

The general object of the present invention is the provision of improved mechanism designed to increase the reliability of the performance of such apparatus, facilitate the handling of the treating mixture, particularly when it is to be delivered. to a point of use at a distance or at an increased elevation from the mixing tank, and which may be installed and maintained with increased facility.

More definitely stated, one of the objects of the invention is the provision of apparatus which will prevent. to a very substantial degree, the forming, on the measuring or apportioning devices of incrustations from such treating mixtures as water and hydrated lime.

Another object is the provision of mech anism which will co-ordinate the measuring of the treating material with the delivery thereof tothe point of use.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims, or obvious to one 'drawing which forms a part of this specification., and in which Fig. 1 isa side elevation with part in section, and

Fig. 2 an abbreviated top view with the removable closure olf and a part of the'cover brokenaway. j

The nature of the invention will best be understood by immediate reference to this illustrative embodiment. It will be observed that it comprises a tank having its lower portion 10 of semi-cylindrical form with parallel vert-ical end Walls 11. With- .in this tank, in suitable journals, one of which is illustrated at 12, is journalled the avitator shaft 14. This carries a plurality o agitator arms 15 extending radially. These carry at their extremities the plow shaped vagitators 16 which are adapted to revolve in proximity to the curved bottom portion of the tank, as the shaft 14 is rotated, thereby maintaining a. proper agitation of the material in the tank. `On the inside of one of the end walls is mounted a collector funnel 17 which discharges at its. bottom by way of a connection 18 to the discharge pipe 19. The agitator arms adjacent said end of the tank carry dispensing devices in the nature of measuring cups 20, by which material is dipped up from the tank and discharged into the funnel 17, in measured quantities, as described in my Letters Patent above referred to.

In the treatment of water with lime and soda ash, vthose materials are deposited in the tank and there mixed with the proper proportion of water admitted through an inlet 33, the agitators serving to maintain a uniform mixture ofthe materials, and-the measuring cups to dispense it in the .desired `quantities for mixture with the .raw water. In the use of a chemical mixture of this sort'v there is a tendency of the solids to form incrustations on the agitators, on the cups 20, particularly in their straining screens and discharge orifices, on the marginal portionA distinct advantage that apparatus of this type be qualified to'y run continuously for extended periods of time without direct supervision, and that it be infallibly reliable and fool proof, at all times. I find that changes in the mixture are not desirable and that .strainers or the like" over the funnel 17 tend to interfere with the accuracy of the device and offer' addedopportunity for incrustations. After extensive experiment,

' however, I have discovered that the difficulty may be obviated by the apparently simple expedient of completely enclosing al1 of the working parts subjected to contact with the materials in the tank, particularly the parts depended on to measure th ldispensed Inaterial. Consequently, I have provided the tank with a top or closure portion 21 which includes a removable part 21, permitting the introduction of thel desired chemicals into the tank, andallowin for inspection, and access to the container? working parts. As a result of this arrangement of the portions of the apparatus subjected to contact with the treating materials, the formation of incrustations on the measuring devices is effectively inhibited, and difficulties heretofore experienced from that cause' are obviated.'v `As a result, the reliability and accuracy of the apparatus is assured, without the necessity for constant supervision or frequent in- 1 spection. Moreover, the heretofore necessary frequent removal of suchiincrustations is eliminated. While `I cannot state with l assurance the reason .or reasons why this-arg rangement attains this greatly advantageous result, I believe that it may be due in part to the fact that the air surrounding the l. measuringcups and other parts subject to l contact with 'the treating materials is kept in a humid condition, and to the further circumstance that thereis no lfree circulation of external .air i'nto contact with those parts.

i -wThese conditions wouldl tend Ato hinder the formation of incrustations. by virtue of the facts that'material is not allowed to dry rapidly on the parts and there is no opportunity afforded forycarbonation of the treating material by such quantities of carbon vdioxide Aas might be brought into contactl with the wet parts by the air.

In my Letters Patent above referred to, the mixing and feeding parts are illustrated as mounted on top of the reaction tank into which the treating material is fed by gravity. It frequently happens that it is inexpedient to place the chemical mixing tank at an elevatlon whence the treating material may be fed to the reaction tank by gravity. While various pumping arrangements might be adequate tohandle and convey the treating material discharged by way of the pipe 19, it is of very great importance in the utilization of mechanism of this type, that the actual delivery of the treating material to the raw water conform in quantity and rate to the apportionments discharged from the mixing tank by the measurin apparatus. This is due to the fact that suc apportionments are based directly Ion the condition and quantity of the raw water supplied over a given interval of time. B virtue of the arrangement now about to e described, I provide an apparatus by which the rate of delivery of the treating material to the raw i water at' a distance or at an elevation, may

be maintained in consonance with its apportionment by the measuring mechanism. It.

will be seen that the' endsv of the tank are stifened by horizontally extending angle members 22 arranged at different elevations. On certain of these angle members, adjacent one side of the tank, are mounted drive shaft bearings 23 and 24, in which is jour- I nalled the drive shaft 25 extending longitudinally through the tank. Inside the tank this shaft carries a sprocket wheel 26 having operable connection,'bymeans of a chain 27, with a sprocket wheel 28 on. the agitator shaft 14. Power is transmitted 4tothe drive' shaft-25 from a prime mover 29, through a 4belt 30, pulle 31, encased reducing gears 32, 'sprocket'w eel 34 and its chain 35, which I latter transmits to sprocket wheel 36 mounted on the drive shaft. These power elements 'are mounted preferably at one end of the tank. vOn the opposite end of the tank is mounted a pump frame 37 Ifw'hich has spacersv 38 engaging theI endv wall, and brackets 39 v engaging over and bolted to the angle memv bers 22, the bearing 24, being formed integrally with the upper bracket. The pump frame 37 supportslthelpu'mp'40 having the vertically reciprocating piston 40, which is driven through the instrumentality of the connecting rod 41 and the crank 42'which is keyed to the end of the drive shaft 25. Supported ontl1e casing of the pump 40 is a receptacle 44 whiclrreceives the treating mixture discharged through the pipe 19. Surrounding 'the gland 45 ofthe pumps piston, isa collect-ing gutter 46 by which leakllo age around :thel piston is returned to the'recepytacle 44. At its bottom the receptacle 44 connects with the intake of ,the pump by means of a conduit Within the receplever 48 fulcrumed at 48a and rigged to o ratevalve 49. The latter controls the v ow connection between .a pipe 50, which leads from a source of clear Water supply, and

the pipe 51, which discharges into thereceptacle 44.

In the operation4 of the device, it willbe understood that the treating mixture discharged through the pipe `1'9 is of uniform' strength, although, of course, it may be varied in amount from time to time, in accordance with the requirements of the raw water or the rate of sup ly of the latter. Automatic means for eecting such variation is illustrated in my Letters Patent referred to. This material is received by receptacle 44 and withdrawn therefrom by the pump 40,

which forces it to the point of disposal. The level of liquidl in the rece tacle 44 will be maintained by the iioat 4 which admits clear Water from the pipe 50 'immediately there-is any deficiency of treatin liquid in the receptacle. Consequently, alt ough the amount of liquid in receptacle 44 remains the same, so that there will be a constant uniform sup ly in the pump, the strength of that liquid in treating material will vary in accordance -with variations of supply of the latter from the mixin tank. Therefore, treating material will be delivered to the point of use at the "same rate at which it is apportioned out of the mixing tank, provided synchronism is maintained vbetween the pump and the measuring mechanism. This sync ronism is maintained in the arrangement by virtue of the direct and ositive operative connection between the s aft 14 andthe pump crank 42.

In addition to' this effect, the construction provides a compact vassembly of cooperating parts associated in such manner as vto prevent their getting out of adjustment and obviatingthe necessity for supports. or foundations other than that requisite for the mixing tank itself.

What I claim isf: 1. Feedingapparatus, comprising, in combination, a container for liquid, measurin apparatus for a portioning liquid contain therein for ,disc arge therefrom, and a closure co-operating with the container to completely house the measuring apparatus therein.

2. Feeding apparatus, comprising, in combination, a container for li u'id,a measuring apparatus operating in t e container to measure liquid contained therein vfor vdisvthe dispensing devices to supp atmos heric air to the measuring apparatus.

-3. pparatus of the class described,.com prising the combination of a tank, mixing and dispensing devices operable in the same, a pump mounted on the exterior of the tank and including a supply rece tacle arranged to receive liquid discharged by the dispensing devices, and means journalled on the tank for transmitting operative movement to the dispensing devices and ump.

4. In apparatus of the sort escribed, the combination of a tank, a drive shaft our- -nalled thereon, means for actuating the rive shaft, mixing and dispensing devices operable in the tank, a pumpvmounted on the exterior of the tank for reception of liquid dispensed by the dispensing devices, and means for actuating said devices and the pump from the drive shaft.

5. In apparatus ofthe class described, the combination of a tank, a dispensing device operable therein, a funnel mounted on the interior of the tank to receive' liquid from said dispensin device, a receptacle supported on the outsi e of the tank, a conduit for conductingli uid to said-receptacle from said funnel, an a pump mounted on the exterior of the tank and arranged to vdraw liquid from said receptacle.

6. In apparatus of the-class described, in combination, a tank, a dispensing device operable therein, a funnel mounted in the tank to receive liquid from said device, a receptacle su ported on the exterior of the tank in fixe relationship to said funnel, means for conducting liquid from the funnel to the receptacle, and a pump mounted in ,fixed relationship to the receptacle.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, a closed tank, mixing and dispensing devices operable therein, a pump mounted exteriorly of the tank and supplied by the displensin devices, and means journalled on t e tan for transmitting operative movement to the vlpump and to y the pump with material from within the tank.

8. Apparatus for preparingA and. apportioning water treating material comprisin in combination, a container for liqui measuring apparatus operatin in the container for apportioning liquid. contained therein, and means cooperatin with the container to inhibit dispersal of air humidity from about the measuring apparatus.

'tacle 44 there is a float 47 which controls a with the container to inhibit free ingress of 60` In testimony whereof I have hereunto subv scribed my name. charge therefrom, and means cooperating WALTER H. GREEN. 

